Sandusky man charged with strangulation, domestic violence

SANDUSKY — A Sandusky man accused of attacking a woman and her 2-year-old child in July was recently arrested on a warrant. On Dec. 29, Sandusky police arrested Thomas Vance, 44, 400 block E. Washington St., on a warrant and booked him into the Erie County Jail on the following charges: • Two counts of domestic violence, each a fourth-degree felony • Two counts of assault, each a first-degree misdemeanor • One count of strangulation, a fourth-degree felony • One count of endangering children, a first-degree misdemeanor As of Wednesday afternoon, Vance is no longer listed in the Erie County Jail and has an upcoming court hearing scheduled for 10 a.m. on Friday, according to court and jail records. Background The investigation into Vance began on July 18 when a woman walked into the Sandusky police station wishing to speak with an officer about available resources for a domestic dispute, according to a Sandusky police report. An officer began to speak with the woman, who advised them that Vance told her that he was "going to make her life hard and make her feel the pain he is feeling," the report states. The woman told the officer that Vance allegedly became upset the night before and proceeded to hit her and strangle her. During the alleged assault, the woman added that Vance also began hitting her 2-year-old child, and that at some point she kicked Vance and bit him on the leg, the report states. The woman told the officer she went to the ER with bruises, a swollen throat, and abnormal bleeding after the assault but left the ER due to the wait being over an hour long. Due to the severity of the bruises on the woman's body, the officer asked if they could take a picture of them, but the woman allegedly refused, stating that she didn't want Vance to go to jail over the weekend, the report states. The officer went through with having criminal charges filed against Vance due to being unable to make contact with Vance and the injuries sustained by the woman and her child. Police were made aware that Vance had a prior domestic violence conviction in the Tiffin Municipal Court in March 2005. The domestic violence charge was upgraded to a fourth-degree felony, the report states.